Calling it the single biggest roundup of methamphetamine manufacturers in U.S. history, federal and state drug agents ended a successful 9-month sting operation Sunday with the apprehension of about 100 suspected drug dealers and the closing of 23 meth labs in the San Diego area. About 350 officers from several law enforcement agencies descended on dozens of homes at 6 a.m. and arrested numerous suspects in San Diego and Orange counties and as far north as Mammoth Lakes.

Border Patrol agents seized more than half a ton of marijuana worth more than $1 million this week along the San Diego County border region, authorities said Friday. In the latest and largest seizure, an Anaheim resident was arrested Thursday at the Interstate 5 border checkpoint near San Clemente. The driver agreed to a search of the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis and officers discovered 630 pounds of marijuana in the trunk. The driver's name was not released.

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the San Onofre checkpoint south of San Clemente opened the trunk of 1982 Oldsmobile on Thursday and found it filled to the brim with nearly pure cocaine--249 kilograms of it. "It filled the trunk. The lid was down, but there was no cover over it at all," said Harold Ezell, western regional commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

A 76-year-old woman was arrested at the Otay Mesa port of entry after three pounds of heroin were found in her luggage, the U.S. Customs Service reported Wednesday. Maria de los Angeles Acosta-Carrillo of Jalisco, Mexico, arrived at the border Tuesday by bus, authorities said. After walking through a turnstile, she was routed to an inspector, who looked at her luggage with an X-ray machine. The inspector detected an unusual object, wrapped in duct tape, at the bottom of her bag.

A 76-year-old woman was arrested at the Otay Mesa port of entry after three pounds of heroin were found in her luggage, the U.S. Customs Service reported Wednesday. Maria de los Angeles Acosta-Carrillo of Jalisco, Mexico, arrived at the border Tuesday by bus, authorities said. After walking through a turnstile, she was routed to an inspector, who looked at her luggage with an X-ray machine. The inspector detected an unusual object, wrapped in duct tape, at the bottom of her bag.

Border Patrol agents seized more than half a ton of marijuana worth more than $1 million this week along the San Diego County border region, authorities said Friday. In the latest and largest seizure, an Anaheim resident was arrested Thursday at the Interstate 5 border checkpoint near San Clemente. The driver agreed to a search of the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis and officers discovered 630 pounds of marijuana in the trunk. The driver's name was not released.

Federal agents seized 177 pounds of marijuana in two apparently unrelated incidents Tuesday at the San Onofre immigration checkpoint just south of here. Both drivers were arrested and turned over to a San Diego County narcotics task force, Border Patrol spokesman Steve Kean said. Their names were not released pending investigation. In the first seizure, a 24-year-old Los Angeles man drove a 1974 Chevrolet Camaro up to the checkpoint about 9 a.m. and appeared nervous, officers said.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to a lonely stretch frequented by drug smugglers was arrested with more than 550 pounds of marijuana in his patrol vehicle, authorities said Wednesday. The agent, Thomas Bair, was arrested early Tuesday in rugged eastern San Diego County after fellow agents told supervisors he was behaving suspiciously, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Rodney Adams said.

Seventy members and associates of three San Diego Crip gangs have been arrested in a yearlong undercover investigation aimed at street-level drug dealers, authorities said. "Operation Blue Rag," a federally funded operation targeting the gang members, swept a number of suspected drug traffickers from neighborhoods with notorious reputations as hangouts for crack cocaine dealing and other criminal activity, the San Diego County district attorney's office said.

A reputed Detroit drug kingpin who was considered one of the nation's 15 most-wanted fugitives was captured in El Cajon after four years on the run. Gerald Lee Carroll, 46, who disappeared after being indicted for his alleged involvement in a massive marijuana smuggling operation, was arrested after officers trailed his car from a home in La Mesa that had been under surveillance, according to a spokesman for the U.S. marshal's office.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to a lonely stretch frequented by drug smugglers was arrested with more than 550 pounds of marijuana in his patrol vehicle, authorities said Wednesday. The agent, Thomas Bair, was arrested early Tuesday in rugged eastern San Diego County after fellow agents told supervisors he was behaving suspiciously, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Rodney Adams said.

Ricky Donnell Ross, the legendary Los Angeles drug lord who vowed to pursue a legitimate business career after his release from prison last fall, has been indicted for allegedly purchasing 100 kilograms of cocaine from an undercover agent, authorities said Tuesday. Ross, 35--a charismatic, dreadlocked, ex-millionaire better known as Freeway Rick--could face a life sentence if convicted.

Federal agents seized 177 pounds of marijuana in two apparently unrelated incidents Tuesday at the San Onofre immigration checkpoint just south of here. Both drivers were arrested and turned over to a San Diego County narcotics task force, Border Patrol spokesman Steve Kean said. Their names were not released pending investigation. In the first seizure, a 24-year-old Los Angeles man drove a 1974 Chevrolet Camaro up to the checkpoint about 9 a.m. and appeared nervous, officers said.

A reputed Detroit drug kingpin who was considered one of the nation's 15 most-wanted fugitives was captured in El Cajon after four years on the run. Gerald Lee Carroll, 46, who disappeared after being indicted for his alleged involvement in a massive marijuana smuggling operation, was arrested after officers trailed his car from a home in La Mesa that had been under surveillance, according to a spokesman for the U.S. marshal's office.

Seventy members and associates of three San Diego Crip gangs have been arrested in a yearlong undercover investigation aimed at street-level drug dealers, authorities said. "Operation Blue Rag," a federally funded operation targeting the gang members, swept a number of suspected drug traffickers from neighborhoods with notorious reputations as hangouts for crack cocaine dealing and other criminal activity, the San Diego County district attorney's office said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the San Onofre checkpoint south of San Clemente opened the trunk of 1982 Oldsmobile on Thursday and found it filled to the brim with nearly pure cocaine--249 kilograms of it. "It filled the trunk. The lid was down, but there was no cover over it at all," said Harold Ezell, western regional commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Ricky Donnell Ross, the legendary Los Angeles drug lord who vowed to pursue a legitimate business career after his release from prison last fall, has been indicted for allegedly purchasing 100 kilograms of cocaine from an undercover agent, authorities said Tuesday. Ross, 35--a charismatic, dreadlocked, ex-millionaire better known as Freeway Rick--could face a life sentence if convicted.

Law enforcement officials said they have cracked a San Diego-area cocaine-distribution ring with the arrest of a gang leader and 16 of the gang's members. Police said 27 people were named in a 38-count federal indictment, with warrants still out for 10 other members of the Syndo-Mob gang who had yet to be arrested. The purported gang leader, Kevin (Schoolyard) Andre Standard, 24, of Chula Vista, was said to have overseen the sale of up to 60 kilograms of rock cocaine a month.

Calling it the single biggest roundup of methamphetamine manufacturers in U.S. history, federal and state drug agents ended a successful 9-month sting operation Sunday with the apprehension of about 100 suspected drug dealers and the closing of 23 meth labs in the San Diego area. About 350 officers from several law enforcement agencies descended on dozens of homes at 6 a.m. and arrested numerous suspects in San Diego and Orange counties and as far north as Mammoth Lakes.

Law enforcement officials said they have cracked a San Diego-area cocaine-distribution ring with the arrest of a gang leader and 16 of the gang's members. Police said 27 people were named in a 38-count federal indictment, with warrants still out for 10 other members of the Syndo-Mob gang who had yet to be arrested. The purported gang leader, Kevin (Schoolyard) Andre Standard, 24, of Chula Vista, was said to have overseen the sale of up to 60 kilograms of rock cocaine a month.